Current deployments of Internet Protocol (IP) telephony utilize a configuration in which an IP telephone has a connection to a central switch as well as to a local device such as a personal computer (PC). The IP telephone includes a small switch/router that routes both IP telephone communications as well as data communications to/from the PC over the communications link to the switch, such that only one physical connection may be required between the switch and each individual user work area (e.g. office), while still providing for transfer of PC data networking traffic as well as IP telephony traffic to/from a network to which the switch is connected. Also current networking equipment has little control for managing speed and bandwidth to reduce power.